LAS VEGAS – The Portland Pilots (19-10, 8-7 WCC) battled in a tight defensive game against the No. 17 BYU Cougars (26-2, 15-1 WCC), but ultimately fell 59-52 in the WCC Tournament semifinals.

Maisie Burnham was the top scorer for Portland off the bench, scoring 17 points and going 9-for-12 from the free throw line. Alex Fowler filled up the stat sheet with 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists while Lucy Cochrane scored 12 points with seven rebounds and eight blocks. Cochrane's block total marks the fifth time this year she's had eight or more blocks in a game.

Shaylee Gonzales led the way for the Cougars with 20 points and six rebounds. Teagan Graham also added a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Neither team shot particularly well in this one, with the Pilots shooting 32% from the field and the Cougars 35%. The Cougars work in the paint proved crucial, as they grabbed 47 rebounds to Portland's 36 and outscored the Pilots 22-16 in the paint.

The first quarter was a rock fight, with both teams playing stellar defense. Neither team shot over 40% for the quarter. BYU shot better in the second quarter at 47%, but the Pilots did well to capitalize on their second-chance opportunities. Despite having to weather a 12-2 run late in the second, the Pilots only trailed by one at the half.

The game continued at it's back-and-forth pace, with both teams trading leads by the minute. Tied up at 40 heading into the fourth quarter, the Pilots managed to build a four-point lead with just over five minutes left. But BYU came back hard, going on a 10-0 run to retake the lead. The Pilots pushed the Cougars towards the end, but ultimately couldn't overcome the deficit.

The Pilots will now wait to see what postseason opportunites arise. Stay tuned to PortlandPilots.com for more information.